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Overview
This book provides an excellent introduction for the serious student of alchemy via the works of Count Michael Maier (1568-1622), one of the giants of the Alchemical Renaissance of the early 17th Century. Maier's Atalanta Fugiens and Themis Aurea transcend their era and continue to inspire today's students of alchemy. But Maier's many other works remain virtually unknown -- to our loss, for he was a champion of Rosicrucianism as well as a spiritual alchemist of the highest caliber. Reverend J. B. Craven had access to important source works on Michael Maier and his writings, many of which were unavailable in English. In this collection, first published in 1914, Craven provides a biography of Maier; traces his career as a physician; his associations with Dr. Robert Fludd, Sir William Paddy, and Sir Thomas Smith; and his pursuit of alchemy as both a science for transmuting lead into gold and a metaphor for spiritual attainment. This book is the only one to analyze all of Maier's works in depth and demystify much of the alchemical symbols and allusions in Maier's texts. R. A. Gilbert's Foreword details J. B. Craven's life, writings, and his role in illuminating the mysterious practice of alchemy.Synopsis
This reprint of a 1914 publication provides an introduction for the serious student of alchemy via the works of Count Michael Maier (1568- 1622), one of the giants of the Alchemical renaissance. The collection includes Maier's Atalanta Fugiens and Themis Aurea, as well as 14 lesser known works. A biography traces Maier's career as a physician, his associations with other figures of the era, and his pursuit of alchemy. A foreword details Craven's life, writings, and his role in illuminating the practice of alchemy. There is no subject index. Ibis Press is an imprint of Nicholas-Hays, Inc. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR